General Chevalier Reynier de Jarjayes
A Daring Royalist

Desperate for a male heir, General Jarjayes, Head Commander of the Palace Guards, decides to raise his sixth daughter as a man.   As Oscar's father, Jarjayes is an admirable parent and soldier -- daring enough to train a girl for a military career and devoted to the Royal Family till their final moments.   While his protective instinct almost ruins Oscar's chance at happiness, he is wise enough to realize his parental limitations and to encourage Oscar to follow her heart, even if what she chooses might overturn everything he believes as a nobleman.

The Jarjayes image is generally consistent across the manga and anime.   For details on the subtle differences, see "Exploring General Jarjayes."

 

  Alain de Soisson
Friend and Challenger

A poor minor noble in the manga, but a commoner in the anime, Alain is one of the eyes through which Oscar sees the plight of the Parisian commoners.   In both versions, he leads his fellow French Guards against Oscar in the beginning and then gradually comes to accept and admire his Commander.   Outspoken and courageous, Alain's antics often send Oscar into a wailing fit, and, in the manga, reduce her to tears.

While his contempt for the nobility is clear in both versions, the manga and anime give very different takes on his motivations.   In the manga, Alain is a young greenhorn who wavers between his resentment for the noblewoman Oscar represents and his growing love for the woman Oscar is.   At times his antics seem more like a boy teasing a girl he likes, rather than a challenge to the aristocracy.

In the anime, however, he is a seasoned man who struggles to provide food for his family.   His challenges to Oscar are based on class differences, with passing references to Oscar's femininity but no trace of desire.   In fact, Alain plays Cupid to André and Oscar in the anime but is André's (secret) rival in the manga.   An interesting character to watch in either case.

 

  Victor Clement de Gerodère
"My Sylphide"

Gerodère makes very few appearances in the manga and even less in the anime.   Still he remains one of the memorable characters for many fans.   Undoubtably a nagging thorn for André, Gerodère suddenly appears out of nowhere and declares his intention to marry Oscar.   The anime shows a patient Gerodère waiting for Oscar's kind words throughout the proposal affair.   The Gerodère in the manga, however, is no quiet duck.   Even after Oscar appeared in uniform at the proposal party, he continues to pursue Oscar and only gives up when he learns of Oscar's feelings for André. Gerodère is also much more eloquent in the manga (see Key Scenes).  

Yet I wonder what might have happened had Oscar accepted his proposal.   Gentle and devoted to Oscar, he would have provided Oscar a calm harbor.   It is unlikely, though, that his nobleman's pride would have tolerated Oscar's egalitarian ideas or allowed her to roam free as before.   In the manga, Gerodère tells André that he is generous enough to permit a bride's servant to accompany her to his household (while knowing fully well that the two might be lovers).   André then throws hot chocolate in his face, angry that Gerodère has insulted his honor and Oscar's.

In this sense, while Gerodère later retreats from the meeting hall risking his life for Oscar, he does not understand Oscar and would not have offered her a fulfilling marriage.   Perhaps that is why Oscar calls Gerodère her "sylphide," a beautiful, ethereal vision that eludes love tragically.  

 

  Rosalie Lamorliére
"A Spring Breeze"

If Oscar is the steeliest of women, Rosalie is undoubtably one of the most feminine characters in Berubara.   At first glance, Rosalie seems like a conventional heroine of the "growing up" shoujo manga genre -- mild-mannered, kind, determined to overcome all odds to achieve her goals.   Yet she plays the role of a supporting sister and admirer of Oscar.   It is easy to overlook her brief appearances and to dismiss her candid nature as naïve.   Nevertheless, Rosalie is an important minor character for the following reasons:

1)	Her helplessness towards her mother's death and poverty lead Oscar to question the carefree life she has taken for granted.
2)	Her puppy love for Oscar draws attention to Oscar's ambiguous sexuality, and makes Oscar wonder for the first time her identity as a "man."   (It is also interesting how her love parallels Oscar's love towards Fersen; in both cases, the love is unrequited because of gender confusion.)
3)	Her connections to Jeanne, Polignac, and Bernard provide a convenient framework for story development.

In the anime, Rosalie disappears after running away from de Polignac's mansion and re-appears only briefly during Oscar's escape from the Orleans estate, at Oscar's death, and towards the end of Revolution.   The manga Rosalie takes part in the Black Knight incident and has a greater presence throughout the story.

 

  Diana de Soisson
A Fallen Bride

Diana appears only briefly before Oscar before her death.   Yet her role is important to both Oscar and the overall story for two reasons:

1)	Her initial joy towards getting married provides an ironic contrast to Oscar's dilemma with her own marriage plans.
2)	Her helplessness at her lover's betrayal and her poverty re-emphasizes (to Oscar) the harsh living beyond the gates of Versailles.

As Alain's sister, she also acts as his messenger to Oscar.   At her first meeting with Oscar, she tells her what Alain says about her name symbolism in Hebrew.   While this may be a slip on her part, it is particularly revealing of Alain's true feelings toward Oscar.   Until then, Alain is openly hostile toward Oscar and, for all Oscar knows, seems to regard her as a symbol of ruling class injustice.   Yet from Diana tells us, Alain seems to admire her Commander a great deal.   Why else would he bother telling her about Oscar's name, and with such praise?

For the proud Alain, Diana's death provides the pretext under which he can convey his feelings towards Oscar.   In the manga, Alain presents Oscar with a lock of Diana's hair after her death.   Certainly a bizarre gift.   It is, however, significant in that it represents a major concession for Alain.   Diana's hair expresses not only his gratitude towards her help but his willingness to accept her as his Commander.   In this way, Diana's presence intensifies the drama of the story.

 

  Sophia von Fersen
A Swedish Prophet

A character that appears only in the manga, Sophia often says things that seem nonsensical.   With a closer look, however, we discover that her words are powerfully prophetic.   As Fersen's sister, Sophia first pops in during Fersen's conversation with Oscar and is immediately drawn to Oscar's male disguise.   When she learns of Oscar's true gender, she immediately tells Fersen that a person like Oscar surely won't live for long -- a strange thing to say about someone she barely knows, but one which proves to be shockingly accurate.

How could she have known?   My guess is that she somehow senses that a successful, cross-dressing woman like Oscar would have to face more troubles than the average woman.   She then makes the logical leap that more worries lead to a shorter life.   Perhaps a slip on her part, but clearly intended as foreshadowing device by the author.

 

  Jeanne de Lamotte Valois
Femme Fatale Perfection

The Queen of nastiness -- and that doesn't even come close to describing our dear friend Jeanne.   As the femme fatale, Jeanne takes manipulation to an art form, stepping over bodies and swindling all the way up to Versailles.   Yet somehow we find it difficult to dislike her.   We want to hate her for betraying Rosalie's trust, murdering her host mother and stealing her fortune, slandering Oscar and Antoinette ... yet we can't.   There is something irrestible about a woman so evil that we begin to root for her in spite of ourselves.  

What is it about Jeanne?   For me, it is her frank ambition and fierce fighting spirit.   Unlike Polignac and Dubarry, Jeanne doesn't resort to petty intrigues to get what she wants.   She kicks and screams her way to the branding, turns Paris upside down with her memoirs, and resists her arrest till the very end.   In both the manga and anime, Jeanne makes no apologies about her actions.   The only time she appears vulnearable is when Oscar comes for her arrest in Severene.

While she thinks of Rosalie in both versions, the interpretation is quite different.   In the manga, Jeanne appears regretful when told about Rosalie's betrayal, telling Oscar that she had longed for those happy old days in the slums.   In the anime, however, Jeanne never learns of Rosalie's involvement and goes to death believing she still has an ally despite what has happened   (While it is true that Oscar learns of Jeanne's hideout through Rosalie and the court messenger, I still think Oscar is telling her a white lie).   Jeanne may not be a sympathetic character, but I like her anyway. ^_^